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Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev was a brave author, whose works often came under careful review by censorship authorities. The story “Mumu,” known to every schoolchild today, was banned from publication for a long time. And if it weren’t for the author’s diplomatic skills, the world would never have known about this touching and tragic story.
History of creation
In the mid-50s of the XIX century. Turgenev was under house arrest, and then sent into exile for writing an obituary on the death of Gogol. While under the supervision of private bailiffs, in the spring of 1855 Turgenev wrote the story “Mumu”. He shares this thing with the family of the publisher Aksakov, who react positively to the work, but cannot publish it due to censorship protests. A year later, “Mumu” still appears in the Sovremennik magazine, which becomes the reason for the report of the official and the official reviewer of the magazine. Representatives of the censorship authorities are unhappy that the audience can feel compassion for the characters, and therefore do not allow the story to be distributed to other publications. And only in the spring of 1956, in the main department of censorship, after numerous petitions from Turgenev’s friends, a decision was made to include the decision to include “Muma” in the collected works of Ivan Sergeevich.
Analysis of the work
Story line
The story is based on real events that took place in the house of Turgenev’s mother in Moscow. The author tells about the life of a lady in whose service is the deaf-mute janitor Gerasim. The servant begins to court the washerwoman Tatyana, but the lady decides to marry her to her shoemaker. To resolve the situation, the lady’s butler invites Tatyana to appear drunk before Gerasim in order to turn him away from her. And this trick works.
A year later, the washerwoman and shoemaker leave for the village on the orders of the lady. Gerasim brings with him a puppy caught from the water and gives him the nickname Mumu. The lady is one of the last to learn about the presence of a dog in the yard and cannot establish a relationship with the animal. Having received an order to get rid of the dog, the butler tries to secretly sell Mumu, but she runs back to Gerasim. When the janitor receives information that the lady is unhappy, he goes to the pond, where he drowns the dog, and he decides to return to his village, and not to the lady’s house in the capital.
Main characters
The real prototype of the character was Varvara Turgeneva's servant Andrei Nemoy. The author paints an image of a reserved person who is unusually hardworking and has a fairly positive attitude towards people. This village peasant was capable of the most real feelings. Despite his external power and gloominess, Gerasim retained the ability to love and keep his word.
Tatiana
This portrait of a young servant includes all the features of a typical woman from a 19th century Russian estate. Downtrodden, unhappy, without her own opinion, this heroine receives protection only during the period of Gerasim’s love. Having no moral right and no real opportunity to contradict her mistress, Tatyana with her own hands ruins her chances for a happy destiny.
Gavrila
(The butler Gavrila on the right in the illustration)
The butler in the story appears as a simple-minded and stupid little man who, through ingratiation, strives to stay in the black and find benefits for himself. It cannot be said that Turgenev portrays Gavrila’s character as evil, but his direct role in the death of the dog and the destruction of the lives of Tatyana and Gerasim leaves a significant negative imprint on the perception of him as a person.
Kapiton
(The footman Kapiton in the illustration stands on the left next to the seated Gavrila)
The image of a shoemaker can be described as a portrait of an educated lackey. This person considers himself smart, but at the same time does not have the proper willpower and high aspirations in life. Ultimately, he turns into a drunkard and a slacker, whom even marriage cannot change.
Of all the characters in Mumu, the elderly lady is the main negative character. It is her actions and decisions that lead to a series of suffering and irreversible tragedies. Turgenev describes this heroine as a capricious and hot-tempered woman who is stubborn and capricious in her desire to decide the destinies of other people. The only positive traits of the lady can be considered her thriftiness and ability to manage the house.
Conclusion
The story “Mumu” by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev cannot be considered a simple work about the hardship of peasant life. This is a philosophical text that helps the reader understand the issues of good and evil, hatred and love, unity and separation. The writer pays great attention to the issue of human attachment and the importance of the presence of loved ones, both in the lives of the rich and in the lives of the poor.
- Who is Gerasim?
- Appearance of the hero;
- How did he get to the lady;
- His responsibilities;
- Housing;
- Relation to Mumu;
- Character of Gerasim;
- Why is he leaving his lady?
- My attitude towards Gerasim.
Gerasim is the main character of the story “Mumu” by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. From birth he was deaf and mute, so he could not hear either human speech or the sounds of nature, and he himself could not utter a single word. Gerasim had no one. He lived alone in the village, in his small hut. Like many ordinary people of that time, he was an unfree, serf man and belonged to a certain Moscow feisty lady. He worked for her, meekly doing the hardest peasant work.
This village man was a real Russian hero. Nature generously endowed him with extraordinary physical strength. He was a very tall man - “12 vershoks” or almost two meters tall and of a very strong build. He had big working hands and huge palms. He had no equal in his work; everything came easy to him. He worked tirelessly for four people. And he mowed, and plowed, and threshed, deftly and skillfully. Everyone thought he was a very nice guy.
But fate wanted the lady to take the deaf-mute hero from the village to her place in Moscow. She probably liked his silent hard work. And he could not resist her, because she was his full-fledged mistress. At the Moscow estate, he was given new clothes and assigned to do new work. From a peasant, Gerasim unexpectedly turned into a janitor and watchman.
Working in the city in a new position was too easy for him. After all, he was used to hard field work, and working around the yard was not difficult for him. His range of tasks was very small: sweep the yard, deliver a barrel of water to the estate, provide the household with firewood, keep strangers out, and guard at night. Gerasim completed all the main work in half an hour. He worked very hard, as he was used to in the village. Everywhere and in everything he had exemplary order. But he did not like his new place of residence, he was homesick, his soul was yearning to return to his native village home. He felt like an animal that had been caught and imprisoned in a cage.
His dwelling was very modest and really looked like a cramped cage. He settled in a small room right above the kitchen. The atmosphere there was very simple. There was very little furniture, only the essentials: a bed, a table and a chair. But it was all very strong, made of oak, to withstand the weight of the village hero. Gerasim always locked his closet with a key - he was still unsociable and did not like strangers to come to him.
The courtyard people who lived with the lady were wary of Gerasim. They were afraid of the deaf-mute because his character was too strict and serious, and also because of his extraordinary strength and stern silence. “Who knows what’s wrong with him,” they probably thought. Behind his back, they called the janitor “goblin.”
Once it was the hero Gerasim who saved a little puppy, took him into his closet, warmed him, dried him and fed him. He cared for his pet as “no mother cares for her child.” It turned out that behind the stern appearance and powerful physique lies a very kind, gentle heart. Gerasim named the little dog Mumu, because he could not utter any other word except this moo. Mumu always responded with joy to this simple name. Gerasim cared for the dog with warmth and loved her deeply. He gave all his unspent affection to this little devoted creature. And Mumu followed on his heels, obeyed him unquestioningly and served him faithfully.
But they didn’t have to live happily together for long. Feeling his helplessness, out of hopelessness and despair, Gerasim drowned Mumu. For him it was an irreparable loss. He raised her as his own child, and with his own hands he had to kill her. His heart trembled, heavy tears rolled from his eyes, but at that moment he saw no other way out.
After the death of the dog, Gerasim could no longer endure his imprisonment in the city. He shows determination, which was previously unusual for him, and returns to his native village. Although he understands perfectly well, for such willfulness - escape - he faces severe punishment: hard labor or even death.
I feel sorry for Gerasim. Fate was harsh to him. Deprived of the gift of hearing and speech, he found himself deprived of everything that was dear to his heart and brought him joy and consolation. And yet I don’t quite understand the hero of the story: why he still decided to drown the poor animal. Surely some way out could have been found. For example, give it into good hands. What thoughts and experiences tormented Gerasim and why he committed his cruel act, unfortunately, we will no longer know.
The genre of this work is short story. The beginning. The deaf and mute Gerasim was brought to Moscow from the village. He became the lady's janitor. Development of action. The mistress's tyranny breaks Gerasim's fate. First, the peasant is torn from the land, brought to the city, forced to do work alien to him. Then, at the whim of the lady, Tatyana, who fell in love with Gerasim, is married off to the drunkard Kapiton. In the end, Gerasim is deprived of his only dear creature - Mumu. Climax. The lady ordered the dog to be removed from the yard. Denouement. Gerasim carried out the lady’s order, drowned Mumu in the river and went back to the village.
Before coming to the city, Gerasim lived in the village, doing hard peasant labor. This work not only fed him, but also gave him pleasure. He, “as if by himself, without the help of a horse,” easily plowed the stubborn soil and generally resembled a hero. The lifestyle change is not encouraging. Turgenev, with the help of images of nature, explains how difficult his new position is for Gerasim. Either the hero of the story looks like a bull, which is being taken to an unknown destination, and with all his power and strength he is unable to change his life, then he lies for hours in the courtyard of the manor's house face down, like a captured animal. The description of the interior of his closet also helps to understand Gerasim’s character: a “truly heroic bed” on four blocks, a small but very durable table, a three-legged chair - everything was made by him himself. Gerasim smiles, seeing that the chair does not lose its stability even after hitting the ground.
The hero of the story is a serf peasant, the property of a lady. This fact is very important for its characteristics. He is obliged to bring benefit to his mistress and not bother her with any of his desires. His attention to Tatyana, a laundress from a large household, is not at all interesting to his mistress.
Gerasim distinguishes Tatyana from everyone around him because with his heart he knows how to guess those who may need his help and protection.
Gerasim's love for the unfortunate rescued puppy, found on the day of separation from Tatyana, arises immediately and for a long time. Having arranged his find, Gerasim fell asleep in some very light, happy sleep. Mumu responds to Gerasim with attention and love.
Why does Gerasim still carry out the will of the quarrelsome lady? He is a forced man and, like any serf, must unquestioningly carry out the master’s orders. He cannot even marry according to his choice. Having carried out the order to kill Mumu, he lost the last thing that was dear to him. Gerasim rebels, leaves the city, leaves his lady, and returns to his native village. This is a strong-willed act of a brave and determined person. The image of Gerasim embodies the idea that self-esteem is inherent in a person, regardless of his origin, this image is imbued with the author’s sympathy.
The lady is a quarrelsome, headstrong, domineering woman. Whims, mood swings, and tyranny guide her actions. For the sake of entertainment, she decides to start a wedding between Tatiana and Kapiton, and when she sees that nothing came of this idea, she sends them out of sight. Interest in Mumu gives way to anger and a desire to get rid of her. The lady considers herself to have the right to
control other people's destinies. Any single life means nothing to her. Fortunately for Gerasim, she regarded his departure only as ingratitude and did not search for the fugitive and initiate justice.
Observing the fate of the heroes of the story, one can imagine the life of serfs in Russia at that time. Turgenev shows that serfdom disfigures not only peasants and servants, but also the masters themselves. Gerasim's deaf-muteness is not only his own flaw. This is a sign of the inability to express oneself, to be heard.
“Mumu” is a classic work of world literature. This is a touching story about the difficult fate of serfs, their simple values and harsh decisions that the callous heart of those who have gained power is capable of. A cartoon of the same name was filmed based on the story.
History of creation
The writer's biography played an important role in his work. Born into the family of a landowner who showed cruelty towards the peasants, the boy observed terrible reprisals against those who could not respond to her hatred with action. Understanding the full force of social injustice, Turgenev opposed serfdom. The story “Mumu” reflects the events that took place on his family estate.
Work on the essay continued while the author was in prison. Death was not easy for him. Being close to the writer, he was terribly worried about his death, writing an obituary. There was not a word in the press about Gogol's death. The obituary published by Moskovskie Vedomosti was the reason why Turgenev was arrested. He was released a month later.
While in captivity, Turgenev lived on Sezhaya, next to the execution room where serfs were flogged. Constantly listening to the screams and moans of people whose fate was not favorable, the writer recalled the cruel torture that took place in his mother’s house. Recalling the emotions he had experienced, he wrote the story “Mumu”, the characters of which were characters who resembled his mother and the local janitor Andrei. The description of the building stated that the action takes place in house number 37, located on Ostozhenka Street. This house in Moscow can still be seen today.
Turgenev's work "Mumu" The plot of the work is similar to the story that Turgenev observed as a boy. The janitor Andrei was a serf brought by his mother from the village. The man’s appearance said that he was a real Russian hero. The trouble was that he was deaf and dumb. The janitor had positive character traits with which he attracted the landowner. The hostess liked his flexible disposition and diligence, and all of Moscow spoke about his enormous strength.
One day Andrei found a puppy and brought it to the yard. The lady ordered to get rid of the animal. The janitor did not dare to disobey. He didn't kill the puppy, but he never came back to the house. Turgenev changed the ending of the story, adding dramatic intensity to it. The characteristics of the fictional hero turned out to be deeper than his prototype.
It is no coincidence that the main character’s name is Gerasim, which means “venerable.” This again emphasizes the degree of admiration of the hero for the power of the mistress. After Turgenev's work became available to the general public, the name Gerasim often began to be used as a common noun. They are often called deaf and dumb.
"Mu Mu"
The main character of the story was the deaf-mute serf peasant Gerasim. The illness accompanied the man from birth, but it was partly compensated for by physical strength. Any business that the peasant took on went well. Life in the village and in the city was very different for a man. Stone pavements and houses evoked in him an endless longing for the countryside and nature. He, like a wild animal locked in a cage, was sad.
Illustration for Turgenev's work "Mumu" Gerasim had less work in the city, so he had free time. He did not communicate with courtyard servants, as his appearance frightened those around him. Over time, he began to feel affection for the washerwoman Tatyana, who had a gentle disposition. He made awkward steps and actions towards the woman, but their happiness was prevented by the landowner’s decision. Tatiana was married to Kapiton. Gerasim took this confluence of circumstances hard. He would probably marry his chosen one. Their failed union became a great experience for the hero.
He was often seen gloomy and gloomy, because his only attachment was destroyed. A randomly seen little dog became an outlet in Gerasim’s life. He caught her in the river. Probably someone wanted to drown the puppy, but the janitor helped him escape. The deaf-mute left the pet, cherishing it like a little child. He gave the dog all the tenderness and affection that had accumulated in his soul. Unable to pronounce words, he named the dog Mumu. The friends were inseparable, and the dog faithfully accompanied the owner for a year and a half, until the lady noticed her.
The dog growled angrily at the owner and displeased the woman. The butler was tasked with getting rid of the pet. Mumu was sold secretly, out of fear of Gerasim. The grieving owner stopped noticing those around him, he was beside himself. He could not say anything to those who had deprived him of his friend. A miracle happened: the dog broke free from its new owner’s leash and found a home where it was fed. Gerasim hid Mumu in a little room, carefully swept the yard and redid all the work, worrying about the pet. Sometimes he visited the little dog, and at night he decided to take it for a walk.
A barking dog gave Gerasim away. The lady found out that the janitor had disobeyed her order. In anger, she ordered the dog to be destroyed. Gerasim had to take this heavy burden upon himself. Having put on a festive suit, fed the dog in the tavern, he said goodbye to his pet. The janitor took two bricks and a rope, got into the boat with the dog and set sail from the shore. He had to make a strong-willed decision and keep his word. Gerasim drowned the dog.
This event radically changed his life. The hero could not tolerate living in the city and reproached himself for not saving Mumu. Gerasim collected his belongings and, against the will of his mistress, left the house. He rebelled against reckless decisions and demonstrated grit and determination. What happened forever remained a painful memory in Gerasim’s soul. At the end of the story, Turgenev says that Gerasim never touched a single dog in his life and did not have relationships with women.
Quotes
The fate of special people during the era of serfdom was difficult and unpredictable. To be born deaf and mute meant to bear the heavy cross of existence among people who did not understand how to communicate with a deaf person, how to get an answer from someone who cannot speak. Gerasim's characteristics were superhuman strength and physique, which protected him from the attacks of serfs. The lord's will ruined the character's life.
Despite his outward inaccessibility and rudeness, Gerasim was a gentle, sentimental person, which became obvious from his care for the dog:
“No mother cares for her child as much as Gerasim looked after his pet.”
They say that pets are like their owners. Smart Mumu, like Gerasim, was cheerful up to a certain point. She loved her owner dearly and felt his care, paying him with devotion.
“Gerasim himself loved her madly... and it was unpleasant for him when others stroked her: whether he was afraid or something for her, whether he was jealous of her - God knows!”
What happened to Mumu became a tragedy in Gerasim’s life. He suffered many hardships related to the perception of others. Having barely found happiness, he was always forced to say goodbye to it. He was also deprived of such a little thing as the love of a pet.
“And Gerasim still lives as a bob in his lonely hut, healthy and powerful as before.”
Ivan Turgenev's tragic story "Mumu" is one of the examples of classical literature, which vividly describes the whole tragedy and lawlessness of the existence of serfs in Russia. Cruelty and touching affection are closely intertwined in the plot of this story, describing the realities of life for serfs and the unlimited power of their owners - landowners - over them. Schoolchildren write entire essays on the topic “Why Gerasim drowned Mumu,” trying to find an answer and justification for the cruel act of the main character.
Turgenev's story "Mumu". What did the author write about?
Heroes of the story:
- The central character of the story is a deaf-mute serf janitor Gerasim who has nothing in life: neither home, nor loved ones. The only thing that brightened up his monotonous, hard life was his love for the washerwoman Tatyana.
- Laundress Tatiana- a quiet and downtrodden creature, aware and accepting of its lack of rights.
- The mistress of Gerasim and Tatiana is domineering and capricious lady, whose cruel whims had to be fulfilled immediately. She does not consider serfs to be people, and her cruel attitude towards Tatyana, whom she forcibly orders to marry the alcoholic Kapiton, is an example of this.
- Mu Mu - little mongrel, saved by the main character of the story from imminent death and who was his only close and devoted being.
One day, Gerasim accidentally saves a drowning puppy. He gives the dog the nickname Mumu and keeps it for himself. Why is he doing this? Touching care and tenderness, which the main character showed towards Mumu, can only be compared with the care of a mother for her own child. Having no relatives or friends, Gerasim finds a kindred soul who understands him in this little devoted dog.
This is a very unusual behavior of the main character - during the times of serfdom, the attitude towards animals was exclusively consumerist. Dogs were not particularly loved by their owners and were intended only to guard the yard.
For a selfish lady who thought only about herself, only her own peace was important. Therefore, hearing Mumu barking at night, she orders to get rid of the dog. The animal is kidnapped and taken away, but the devoted dog gnaws through the bonds and returns to its beloved owner. And when the lady discovers Mumu in the yard for the second time, she orders the unfortunate animal to be drowned.
Of course, the lady’s order could be carried out by any of the courtyard servants, but Gerasim himself volunteers to deal with Mumu.
So why did Gerasim drown Mumu instead of taking some action to save his dear dog? Why didn’t he release her, thereby saving her life? The answer to this question lies in the very essence of cruel serfdom.
Why did Gerasim drown Mumu?
Gerasim was a serf from birth. A powerless position seemed natural to him. The thought that he can make decisions about his fate on his own, doesn't even occur to him. At first, at the whim of the lady, he was taken from the village to the estate. The next loss of the main character of the story was the washerwoman Tatyana, whose unrequited deep love was the meaning of his life.
When Gerasim decided to drown Mumu, he already understood that his attachment to this little dog made him addicted to feelings. Each loss in the life of the main character caused him unbearable suffering, and he did not want to experience this pain anymore. So why did he personally decide to take the life of the dog to which he was so touchingly attached? Why did he submit to the will of the eccentric old woman, without even making an attempt to somehow save the creature dear to him?
Birth and life as a serf also played a role. Having been raised as a serf, our hero psychologically realized and accepted the lady’s unlimited power over himself and his life. He understood that disobeying the order could lead to more severe punishment for both Mumu and Gerasim himself. And, fearing the suffering of himself and his only close being, he decided to carry out the cruel order himself, choosing for this the easiest, in Gerasim’s opinion, method of killing the dog.
Eventually Gerasim lost everything that was dear to him in life. And the only independent act that the main character does in despair is to go to the village.
The author writes at the end of the story that Gerasim never had dogs again and lived his life as a male dog. He understood that feelings of love and affection make him vulnerable, and no longer wanted to get close to anyone, to let anyone into my soul and heart. And he saw the only salvation from the seemingly inevitable losses in solitude.
Perhaps in this way the main character tried to protect himself from mental pain and suffering when losing creatures dear to him.
